Sgt. 1st Class Duane Anthony Thornsbury
Born: April 14, 1979 in Clinton, Maryland
Died: September 12, 2009 in Baghdad, Iraq
Sgt. 1st Class Duane A. Thornsbury of Bridgeport, West Virginia attended Grafton High School where he was involved in wrestling and was considered a bright student. He enlisted in the United States Army Reserves back in April 1996 and came onto active duty service in September 2002. He later attended the Special Forces Qualification Course, earning his Green Beret in 2006, as a Weapons Sergeant. He was on his third deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and was as a member of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force, Arabian Peninsula. His military education includes the Combat Life Savers Course, Warrior Leader Course, Air Assault Course, Basic Airborne Course, Basic Non-Commissioned Officers Course, Survival, Evasion, Resistance, & Escape (High Risk), Special Forces Qualification Course, Ranger Course, and Jumpmaster School. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Non-Commissioned Officers Professional Development Ribbon, Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, NATO Medal, Special Forces Tab, Ranger Tab, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Expert Infantryman’s Badge, Senior Parachutists Badge, Parachutists Badge, and the Air Assault Badge. He is survived by his brother Dana. Duane died at age 30 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries sustained during a vehicle roll-over.
Army
2nd Battalion
10th Special Forces Group
Fort Carson, Colorado
Burial is at West Virginia National Cemetery in Grafton, West Virginia
The Sgt. 1st Class Duane Anthony Thornsbury by Freedom Remembered, unless otherwise expressly stated, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.
Tony,
Thank you for helping me move into my apartment, thanks for helping me move my piano. Thank you for being a neighbor everyone would love. Your steak is the best. I never knew you had a Bronze Star. Because all those achievements didn’t matter to you. Time with friends, with a warm meal and cold beer, you’ll ever be in my heart.
SPC Nathaniel Tackett
I met Tony when I visited my sister Britt in NC. He is such an awesome guy, and I enjoyed hanging out with him and my sister for those 3 weeks. May his spirit live in all his friends and family forever. May the great memories of your friend and loved one be cherrished in your hearts and never be forgotten. My Prayers are with Tony’s Family as he is specially remembered this day.
Suzanne Oliver
I did not know Anthony personally, however his absence is sorely evident. I’m pretty much in retirement mode and as I walk through A Co’s hallway I see Anthony’s pic on our wall along with my own only because I’ve been with 10th Group so fricken long. lol. But seriously, I am honored to share a space with him as well as our other fallen brothers. I wanted to wish Tony’s family and friends a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Godspeed. De Oppresso Liber!!
SFC Salvador F. Cruz
A Co. 2nd Bn 10thSFG(A)